Honda's new humanoid-robot push aims for practical use

Nov 28, 2022 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A decade from now, a man suddenly collapses on the street. An ambulance is called but will take time to arrive. In the meantime, a robot stationed nearby rushes to the scene to provide emergency care, controlled by an expert operator sitting dozens of kilometers away.

This is Honda Motor's vision for its humanoid "avatar robot," a project intended to "expand the range of human ability virtually without the constraints of time and place."

With a headset and gloves, the operator would be able to essentially see, hear and feel objects through the robot. This would let specialists respond to emergencies or work in disaster zones without needing to be physically present, or fix equipment remotely. The automaker aims to launch a technology demo in fiscal 2023, with an eye toward practical use in the 2030s.

The project represents a new direction for the creator of the trailblazing Asimo bipedal robot, with greater emphasis on useful features as more competition enters the picture. Tesla unveiled a prototype humanoid robot of its own in September, just a year after announcing the project, and aims to put it on the market in three to five years. ...continue reading

Typhoon No. 18 Nears Okinawa With Storm Peak Expected Around Midnight

Typhoon No. 18 remained a strong storm as it passed near Minamidaito Island on August 25, with Okinawa's main island and the Amami region expected to experience their most severe rain, winds and waves late at night through around midnight. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the typhoon was near Minamidaito Island at 9 a.m. on August 25 and was moving west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.

Fukushima Decontamination Soil to Be Reused at Government Offices

The Japanese government plans to reuse low-radioactivity soil generated by decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear accident at government office complexes in Saitama and Sendai, marking the first such reuse outside Tokyo.

Osaka Couple Donate 400 Million Yen for Giant Myaku-Myaku Statue at Expo Site

An 85-year-old couple have donated a combined 400 million yen to Osaka City with a request that the money be used to create a giant Myaku-Myaku statue about 20 meters tall at the former site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, envisioning a landmark that could become a lasting symbol of the event and of renewed prosperity for Kansai and Japan.

Lawson to Cut Onigiri Prices by 10 Yen

Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Osaka Residents Voice Fears Over Massive Data Center

Residents in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, have asked the city to take a more active role in explaining and reviewing plans for a large data center to be built on the former site of Osaka University's Minoh Campus, citing concerns over low-frequency noise, loss of sunlight and other potential effects on daily life.

Strong Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Shakes Tokyo

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake centered in southern Ibaraki Prefecture shook a wide area of the Kanto region at around 2 a.m. on August 23, registering a maximum intensity of lower 5 on Japan's seven-level seismic scale in parts of Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba and Tokyo.

Aphantasia May Affect About 4% of Japanese

A cognitive trait known as aphantasia, in which people are unable to voluntarily form images in their minds despite knowing what objects look like, may affect about 4% of people, highlighting significant differences in how individuals experience memory, imagination and everyday tasks.

Drought Deepens Across Japan

Dangerous heat returned across Japan on August 19, complicating disaster recovery efforts in earthquake-hit Kumamoto and flood-damaged Chiba while unusually low rainfall and limited snowfall pushed reservoirs in several regions toward critical levels.

A Closer Look at Lithium-Air Batteries

Japanese researchers are developing a lithium-air battery that uses oxygen from the atmosphere to store and generate electricity, promising nearly five times the capacity of conventional lithium-ion batteries at less than half the weight and potentially opening the way to far longer electric vehicle driving ranges.

Footage Shows Fault Tearing Up Rice Paddy in Kumamoto

Security camera footage captured the moment part of the Hinagu Fault Zone broke through the ground during the Kumamoto earthquake on July 28, as strong shaking lifted the surface of a rice field and moved a nearby light truck violently.

T. Rex May Have Lived to 40, New Research Suggests

New research is reshaping long-held assumptions about Tyrannosaurus rex, including suggestions that the giant predator may have lived to around 40 years rather than 28, while advances in fossil analysis are also offering new clues about dinosaur growth, posture and even color.

H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

< 2 3 4 5 >